


Finding Home

by ivycross



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Prompt Fill, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 11:48:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/735295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivycross/pseuds/ivycross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Castiel fell, Dean and Sam took him in, only to lose him during a hunt. Now he is back but does not remember the boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [destielficprompts](http://destielficprompts.tumblr.com/) on tumblr based on the prompt:  
>  _"Castiel has been missing for a while now, and when he turns up he’s back to full-angel status, complete with shiny new wings, overflowing with grace and….zero memories of his history on earth. Castiel has been reset, his mind wiped and is back to the ‘disconnected from humanity’ angel that he once was._  
>  Dean’s not happy about this, but Castiel is just following orders now.  
> Except… he’s a little curious as to why this human has his Grace woven so tightly into their body…. and why the brothers bear his own handwriting upon their ribs. "

The impala rumbled as it rolled into the service station lot and up to the gas pumps. Dean frowned and grunted as he put his baby into park and shut the engine off.  Next to him, his brother,  Sam was fast sleep. For a moment Dean thought about letting Sammy sleep then he remembered they still had three more hours of driving to go before they reached their destination and he needed his two hours of sleep before they arrived. He leaned over and without a word nudged Sam, who awoke with a snort.

"Come on, Sammy.  I'll refuel and you can get some provisions, alright?" Sam gave a sleepy nod as he yawned and pushed open the passenger side door.  Dean sat behind the wheel of the car and watched as his brother shuffled past.  With another sigh, he too got out of the car and started pumping gas.

As he let the pump run, idly listening for the tale-tell sounds that the tank was close to being full, Dean let his mind wander just a bit.  It roamed over the last hunt, over the last episode of Dr. Sexy, and finally, it wandered to the subject of the Angel of Thursday, Castiel.

Dean swallowed hard and bit the inside of his cheek, but this time his mind would not be derailed. It had been almost two months since Cas had been gone and every night Dean replayed over and over in his mind what happened. It had finally happened that Cas lost the last of his grace and though no longer an angel, he was not really human either. Dean and Sam, of course, did not care. This was Cas, their family and they would do right by family.

They took Cas in, so to speak. They got him new clothes, though Cas was adamant that he be allowed to keep the suit and trench coat. They bought him his own gun and showed him how to load it, clean it and shoot it. They worked and got him IDs that he could use on hunts and in general, in case anyone wanted to know more about him.  When compiling the list of fake documents one night while sitting in a hotel room, Sam had asked what Cas' last name should be.  He had suggested Novak, in honor of Cas' vessel, but the former angel shook his head.

"What you would like it to be, Cas?" Sam asked. From his bed, in front of the TV, Dean's ears perked up.

"I would like it to be Winchester," Cas had said matter-a-factly.  Dean smiled and Sam did too while nodding his head.

"Sure thing, Cas, " Sam said as Cas moved across the room to sit next to Dean's bed.

So it was. Castiel, no longer the Angel of Thursday,  became Cas Winchester, a hunter.  It was nice to have another hand on deck. Dean and Sam always worked well together when doing the job, or at least enough to get the job done, but having a third person made things so much easier. With Cas' help, they were able to move from case to case much faster.  They had even talked about taking a break.

"Think of it,  Sammy. We could go to the Grand Canyon or something.  As many times as we have been out that way, we have never actually seen it."

Sam twisted his mouth in thought as he looked around the restaurant. "I don't know, Dean.  One weekend off and everything could go to hell. Do we wanna take that chance?"

Dean made a scoffing sound and rolled his eyes. "Maybe. Maybe not, but it's cool either way because if shit goes down we've got Cas on our side." And here Dean turned to Castiel who had been examining the top of the table they were sitting at very closely. Slowly, Cas lifted his eyes to Dean and Dean smiled, giving a quick wink as he did.

Cas' blues eyes went wide and for a second his cheeks turned pink. Sam watched all this with amusement on his face. He coughed and sat up in the booth, making both Cas and Dean jump.

"Okay. We'll do it. Hell, while we're there, let's see the Hover Dam and head into Vegas. We'll make it a real family get away. " Dean's eyes lit up.

Dean's eyes lit up. "Really? Vegas? Awesome." Dean pumped a fist and then punched Cas in the arm. Cas wore his normal expression of looking lost but pleased that Dean was happy.  Sam looked from one to the other and shrugged his shoulders.

Sam looked from one to the other and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. Why not? It could be fun. Gambling, shows, they got that Star Trek thing, drive-thru wedding chapels..." Sam let that last bit hang in the air and looked pointedly at his brother. Dean sat up straighter and cleared his throat.

Dean sat up straighter and cleared his throat. "Yeah. It could be fun, so when you wanna do this?" Sam suppressed a laugh.

Sam suppressed a laugh. "Maybe after this next hunt?  There's a town just outside of here that has a vampire problem.  Shouldn't be too much of an issue."

The problem was, it had been an issue. It had been a large nest and several of the vamps were witches too.  The three hunters had concocted a plan that would use a spell to

neutralize the magic users, but the person doing the spell would be exposed and would not be able to leave until the spell was complete and the vamps dead.

Dean had said he would do it and fought Sam about it until Sam could no longer out-shout his brother. They agreed that Sam and Cas would take out the vampires while Dean held the spell. It hadn't worked out that way and in the end, it was Castiel who was working the spell, while Sam and Dean circled around him cutting down the vampires that tried to attack him.

It would have worked and it did. The spell did what it was supposed to, but there had been something that had been mistranslated in the text, something that had been overlooked. The person conducting the spell became the source of the spell's energy, so when the last vampire was down and they were able to turn around, Sam and Dean's eyes caught sight of Cas.

He was down on the ground, convulsing, blood dripping from his mouth and eyes. His hands were black and burnt to the bone while his skin was peeling away from his arms and face.   Both the brothers ran to their friend, but Dean got there first.

He fell to his knees next to Castiel and reached out a hand to him but hesitated to touch him.  Sam, the blood gone from his face, reached into the pocket pulled out his phone.  Dean took his eyes from Castiel to watch his brother.

"What the hell are you doing, Sam?"

"I'm calling 911, Dean. He's hurt, possibly dying. We need help."

"No." Both Sam and Dean turned their faces to look down at Cas. He was still shaking and he held out a blackened hand to Sam.

"Don't Sam.  I'm..." And in that moment Cas' hand dropped down and in a flash of light, he was gone.  Among the bodies of the dead vampires, Sam and Dean stared at the place where Cas' had been.

"What just happened, Dean?" Sam asked his voice thick with sorrow. There was choking sound and Sam looked at his brother, who had silent tears going down his face. Dean licked his lips while shaking his head. Then he wiped his face and stood.

"I don't know," He growled and walked away.  That was two months ago.  Dean's mind snapped back to the here and now, just in time to take his hand off the pump and stop filling in the impala's tank before it overflowed.  He swore under his breath as he put the nozzle back in place and gas cap back on the car.  He slid into the passenger's side door as Sammy came out of the station with two plastic bags and a drink carrier holding two coffees.

That was two months ago.  Dean's mind snapped back to the here and now, just in time to take his hand off the pump and stop filling in the impala's tank before it overflowed.  He swore under his breath as he put the nozzle back in place and gas cap back on the car.  He slid into the passenger's side door as Sammy came out of the station with two plastic bags and a drink carrier holding two coffees.

He handed stuff over to Dean before getting in behind the wheel of the car. Dean nosed through the bags and took out a chocolate bar that was on top.  He unwrapped the candy and took a bite of it, chewing forlornly, while Sam put the impala into drive.  Suddenly, he caught sight of something at the edge of his vision.

Was that a flash of brown? A piece of a suit? A head of messy hair?

"Sammy! Stop the car!" Dean shouted, shoving open the car door before it even came to a full stop. Sam parked the car on the edge of the service station's lot and followed Dean as he ran towards the main road.

"Dean! What are you doing?" Sam's voice rang in his brother's ears, but Dean didn't stop until he was in the shadows.  He turned in a circle his expression pained. Sam approached him slowly, his brow knotted with concern. "Dean?"

Dean seemed to not hear Sam as he stared off into the surrounding darkness. Sam watched Dean's shoulders rise and fall as he sighed and turned to face his brother.

"I... I thought I saw something," Dean said lamely. Sam frowned and peered around.

Sam frowned and peered around. "What was it?"

Dean shook his head. "Nothing. Come on."

~*~

"Man this was waste of time," Dean growled, loosening his tie. Next to him Sam shrugged.

Next to him Sam shrugged. "Well, we know now that it's  just a really pissed off carpenter and not an actual ghost, so that's good right?"

Dean's pinched face turned to look at Sam. "No, because when shit like this happens, I feel like we're in an episode of Scooby-Doo and there should be some crappy hippie music playing while some asshole in a mask chases us through a hallway full of doors."

Sam smiled and laughed at this, which irritated Dean even more. "Dude, not funny. Come on. We'll get lunch and then head back to the room to look for a real case."

"Sure thing, Fred," Sam chirped, trying to suppress a laugh.  Dean said nothing, but licked his lips and rolled his eyes before turning away from his brother.  They loaded into the Impala and found a simple looking diner near their hotel.   They ordered and sat in silence while they waited for their food.

Dean was sitting facing away from the door and was lost in thought when Sam did a double take and his mouth dropped open. Seeing his brother's face, Dean cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, Sammy?"

"Dean, umm, look behind you." Dean did just that and felt his stomach drop. There in front of the glass door of the diner, stood Castiel, in the standard suit and trench coat, peering around. Slowly, Dean slid out the booth and walked up to Castiel.

"Cas?" Dean asked carefully.  When familiar blue eyes turned on him Dean felt his heart stop and then break as they did not seem to register him.

"I beg your pardon?" a voice like gravel said. Dean started shaking.

Dean started shaking. "Cas. How? Cas, we thought you were gone. What happened?" Dean was babbling and overwhelmed. Behind him,  Sam said something to the waitress and accepted their orders. 

Cas frowned. "How is that you are able to see me?" 

"What do you mean, Cas?" Dean felt lost. Of course, he could see Cas. What kind of crazy question was that? Once again, he heard Sammy talking to the waitress. Something about stress and taking everything to go, but Dean really wasn't paying attention to him. The only thing that was holding his interest was the figure in front of him.

"Cas, what happened?" Dean asked again and once more he was given a look of confusion and annoyance.  Suddenly, Sam was behind him.

Suddenly, Sam was behind him. "Hey Dean, let's go, buddy."

"Sam, look it's Cas!" Dean turned to face his brother who had a waxen smile plastered to his face.

"I'm sure it is. Hey, let's take our lunch and eat back in the room," Sam said pulling on Dean's arm. Dean glared at Sam and pulled his arm out of his brother grasp.

Dean glared at Sam and pulled his arm out of his brother grasp. "Damn it,  Sam! It's Cas. What is wrong with you?" Dean glared at Sam who still had the fake grin on his face. Sam's eye moved over Dean's face then moved to Cas then back to his brother.

"Yeah, I can see that, but let's talk about this outside, okay?" Sam's voice was low and Dean took a moment to look around them. The whole diner was watching them with confused and alarmed expressions. Slowly Dean nodded his head and he let Sam lead him outside toward the car.

Once they were next to the Impala. Dean turned to face Sam. "What the hell, Sammy?" 

Sam looked at his brother and gave an awkward shrug of his large shoulders. "Sorry Dean, but the Waitress kept asking if you were okay. I think we were the only ones that could see Castiel."

"What?"

"I too would like an explanation."

Both Dean and Sam turned to face Castiel as he appeared next to them.  Sam caught Dean's eyes and the same thought crossed their minds. 

"Cas, did you just appear?" Dean asked. 

Cas' forehead wrinkled and he frowned. "Yes, but I would like to know is how can you see me? I'm veiled. No one who is mortal should be able to see me."

"Veiled?" Sam said.

"No one who is mortal?" Dean echoed.   Sam swallowed and turned to Dean.

Sam swallowed and turned to Dean. "Do you think that Cas has been...reset? That he's a full angel again?" Dean's eye went wide.

Dean's eye went wide. "What do you mean reset? No. Cas is just lost or something. You know how he gets sometimes."  Dean turned back to Cas, "Hey Cas. It's good to see ya, man.  I would love to know what happened, but that can wait. We should celebrate. We'll grab some beers and a pie. We'll get key lime cause I know you like that favor and we can talk."  Dean reached out and clapped a hand on Castiel's shoulder only to receive a blank stare from the angel. 

"I'm afraid I do not understand. Please explain. Who are you? How do you know my name? Why is that you can see me? And what is key lime?"

Castiel's words hit Dean hard and he staggered backward, leaning his weight on the Impala. "Sammy, Cas doesn't know who we are." 

From where he stood Sam frowned. "So it would seem. Look Cas, you know us. We're Sam and Dean Winchester. You met us when you and Uriel were trying to stop the apocalypse, and you kinda stuck around. Do you remember any of that?"

Dean looked at Cas, who had the familiar look of confusion on his face. The angel turned from Sam to Dean, tilting his head from one side to the other before he said, "No."

 Dead exhaled hard and felt as if he had just been punched in the gut. Sam started to fidget and shake. Castiel noticed this.

"This information troubles you?"

"Goddamnit Cas. Yes, it troubles us. We thought you were dead and now you show up out of nowhere and don't know who we are? Come on now." Dean had pulled himself off the impala and pushed himself into Castiel's Face. Cas did not back away and narrowed his eyes at Dean.

Cas did not back away and narrowed his eyes at Dean. "Do not take my Father's name in vain." Dean bit his lip stepping back.

Dean bit his lip stepping back. "I can't deal with this.  Sammy, you figure out what the hell is going on. I'm going back to the room."  Without another word Dean hopped into the impala and left, leaving Sam dumbfounded and pissed off.

Sam watched his brother drive off, still holding their lunch in his hands. He turned to Cas who watched Dean depart as well.

"I apologize. My actions have left you stranded," Cas said bluntly.  Sam inhaled slowly and nodded.

Sam inhaled slowly and nodded. "Yeah, but that's okay, because I want to talk to you. Come on. There's a park nearby. I'll eat my lunch and we can chat." Cas nodded his agreement and the two of the walked towards the park.

Once there Sam located a picnic table nearby and they sat. They did not talk right away. Sam took to eating his lunch while Castiel sat and watched him,  along with everything else around them. 

"So Castiel," Sam started. Cas, who had been watching some birds, whipped his attention back to Sam. "You don't remember me or my brother. Fine. What do you remember?"

"My last memory is of nothing and then a voice telling me to go home," Cas replied.

Sam frowned while chewing his food.  He wiped his mouth and asked, "Go home? You mean Heaven?"

Cas shook his head. "I went there, but something told me that even though it had once been my home,  it was no longer."

"So what? You're trying to find home?" Sam asked.

Cas nodded. "Yes. The voice told me to follow my Grace and it would take me home. My Grace led me to this town and that diner."

Sam said nothing, but let that sink in while he finished his meal. Cas in turn offered no more information and for a while they sat in silence. Finally Cas spoke up.

"Sam, may I ask you some questions?"

"Sure."

"Why is it that you and your brother have my handwriting on your ribs?"

Sam had not been expecting this. He leaned back from the table and peered down at his chest, as if he could see what Cas spoke of. He licked his lips and looked back to the angel.

"Well Cas, you were trying to protect Dean and me. There were other angels after us and you craved on us Enochian sigils that hid us from them." Cas shook his head

Cas shook his head "It's more than that. Yes, there are protection wards, but what is craved there is claim of ownership."

Sam's face twisted up in confusion. "What?" he asked. Cas' mouth turned into a thin line.

Cas' mouth turned into a thin line. "What is carved into your ribs is an old angelic passage claiming you as mine.  I established that you were and will be forever my ward and charge and woe to anything that would lift a hand to you."

Sam was speechless. He sat still and blinked, and it was several seconds before Cas spoke again.

"Why does your brother have Grace?"

This threw Sam once again. He opened and shut his mouth a few time before he answered. "What do you mean Grace?"

Cas' expression was one of annoyance. "Grace. Your brother has Grace interwoven with his soul. My Grace responded to it in the diner, but how did he come by it?"

"I don't know?" Sam said softly.

"Human's are not born with it, so it would had to have been given to him, but why and from whom?"

"I couldn't tell you why, but if I were to guess, I would say that that you gave it to him. You had said once that you and my brother shared a profound bond."

It was now Cas' turn to look dumbfounded.  "Bond? I am bonded to your brother?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess. You said it was because you rescued him from Hell."

"Wait!" Cas didn't shout, but his voice had become intense. His eyes were wide. "I remember... I was in Hell. It stank. It was dark and horrible. I was angry because I had been told to go there and fetch a soul that had made a crossroads deal."

Sam leaned forward, moving his hand to encouched the angel. "Yeah?" He prompted.

"I did not understand why, but I went because those were my orders. I dove deep down into the pit and I remember seeing that soul for the first time. It was so bright. It was like a beacon. I could not understand how it shone for brightly, but it did. I remember touching it and feeling..."

"Yeah... What? What did you feel, Cas?" Sam was leaning over the table so far that he was almost half way over it.  Castiel's blue eyes were sad and empty. The angel sagged as a single word spilt form his lips.

Castiel's blue eyes were sad and empty. The angel sagged as a single word spilled from his lips. "Dean..." Cas focused his eyes on Sam and Sam could see the recognition in them. "Sam?"

 Sam nodded, smiling gently "Hey Cas," Sam said sliding back down on to the bench. The angel peered around them and then back to Sam.

"Where is Dean, Sam?" Cas said and there was something like sorrow in his voice.

"Dean is back at the hotel. Maybe you should go talk to him."  Cas nodded.

Cas nodded. "Yes. I should.  Dean and I will come back for you," and with that the angel was gone. Sam sighed and frowned at being left behind, but after a few seconds, he stood from the table and throwing away his trash, he decided to take a walk around the park.  Cas would keep his word and someone would be along for him shortly... give or take a few hours.

***

Back at the hotel Dean had showered and was sitting on his bed in a towel,  glowering at the T.V. as he clicked through the channels. There was nothing on, which did not mater because he really didn't feel like watching anything. He just wanted something to distract him.  With a huff,  he tossed down the remote on the bed and started getting dressed. He had put on some fresh jeans and was starting to pull on a shirt when there a sound like wings.  He lowered the shirt and there was Cas standing in front of him.

"Dean?" The angel said. Dean felt his body shake.

Dean felt his body shake. "Cas? You remember me now?" Cas nodded his head and slowly approached Dean.  Dean stood stock still as the angel moved closer, his green eyes never leaving Castiel's face, save when Cas reached out and placed his hand over the hand-shaped mark on Dean's shoulder. Then Dean closed his eyes and the first time in two months he felt at peace.

Cas nodded his head and slowly approached Dean.  Dean stood stock still as the angel moved closer, his green eyes never leaving Castiel's face, save when Cas reached out and placed his hand over the hand-shaped mark on Dean's shoulder. Then Dean closed his eyes and the first time in two months he felt at peace.

"Dean?" Cas' voice was low and full of reverence. Dean opened his eyes to find Cas staring at him intently. Dean stared back his expression a mix of relief, joy and wonder.

"Yeah Cas?" he breathed.

"Do you know what is written on you ribs?" This confused Dean. He nodded though.

This confused Dean. He nodded, though. "Yeah. You wrote something in angel speak to protect me. You did it to Sammy too."

Cas' face was so close to his own and Dean found his breathing was heavy.

"Yes and no." Cas said.

"What?"

"I wrote protection wards on you both and I claimed you both, but that is all I wrote on Sam. For you, I added something else."

Dean's eye widened and he swallowed hard. "What was that?" 

"I added that you were mine. Mine alone and that I _knew_  you."

" _Knew_ me? Like as in the bible " _know"_ " because Cas we never..."

Suddenly Cas' hand squeezed Dean's shoulder and pulled Dean closer to him. "Dean,  I have seen and touched your soul, and when I did my grace responded it. It wrapped itself around you.  There is nothing more intimate than that."

Dean shivered and shut his eyes again. Deep inside him, something flared to life and he leaned into the angel.

"Cas..." He whispered as Castiel's other arm slipped around him.

"Dean, I have come home."

Dean sighed and nodded his head. "So have I, Cas. So have I."

***

It was almost three hours later when the impala pulled up beside a park bench that Sam had been resting on.

"About time," Sam said trying to sound annoyed, but couldn't manage it in the face of his brother's joy. Next to Dean in the passenger seat was Cas, wearing one of Dean's t-shits and smiling like a child that knew he was going to the toy store. When Cas stepped out of the car and started to climb in the back seat, Sam shook his head and he wedged himself back there instead.

Dean said nothing, but smirked.  Cas got back in to the passenger seat and shrugged, still smiling. Sam saw his brother meet the angel's eyes and his heart melted. That was worth the leg cramps he going to have later.

"So Sammy, Cas and I have talking and we decided that we are way overdue for that trip to Vegas and the Grand Caynon."

"Are we now?" Sam answered playfully.

"Yes, we are." Cas answered enthusiastically and Dean smiled.

"So what are we waiting for?" Sam asked leaning forward.

"Nothing now." Dean said and Sam tried not to grin as he saw his brother take Cas' hand in his own.

The end


End file.
